Sunflowers have been cultivated by Native American Indians for more than 4000 years.  In fact Sunflowers are one of the few crop plants to originate in North America.  Though there is some controversy about the origin of Helianthus Annuus domestication, it appears as if the actual domestication occured in what is now the Eastern United States.

When seeds were found in pre-colombian sites in the state of Tobasco, it was thought that the Mexicans may have independently domesticated the flower as well.